Optimization Examples

Steps to Optimization:

Read the problem.

Reread the problem.

Draw a picture or graph if appropriate.

Identify the given information

What are the variables?

What are the constants?
Are there any constraints?
Label the graph or picture.

What quantity needs to be maximized or minimized?

Find an appropriate equation for what needs to be maximized or minimized, and reduce it to
one variable.

Find the derivative and critical points for your equation.

Test your critical points and end points (where appropriate).

Reread the question and make sure you have answered what was asked.
1. Given the function f (x) = 4 x3/2 find the point on f (x) which minimizes the square of the
distance between the function and the point (2, 4)

(a) Graph the function and point:

(b) Given Information: We need to minimize the distance from (2, 4) to the curve and each
point on the curve looks like (x, f (x)) = (x, 4 x3/2 ).
(c) Equation to Optimize:

Distance2 = (x0 x1 )2 + (y0 y1 )2

(d) So using the distance formula and the given points we get

Distance2 = (x 2)2 + (4 x3/2 4)2 = (x 2)2 + x3 .

Then to minimize the distance squared we first take the derivative and find the critical
points:
(Distance2 )0 = 2(x 2)(1) + 3x2 = 3x2 + 2x 4 = 0
So the critical points are approximately x 1.5352 and x 0.8685. Using the first
derivative test

+
 -
R
@ +


x 1.5352 x 0.8685
we see a minimum at about x 0.8685. Thus the point on f (x) = 4 x3/2 closest to
(2, 4) is approximately (0.8685, 3.1906) or exactly
  
1+ 13 1+ 13
3 ,f 3 .
2. Inscribe a rectangle between y = x4 + 2x2 + 8 and the x-axis. What values of 2 < x < 2
will maximize the area of the rectangle.

(a) Graph:

(b) Given Information: f (x) = x4 + 2x2 + 8 with 2 < x < 2.

(c) Equation to Optimize:

Area = W idth Height = 2x f (x) = 2x5 + 4x3 + 16x.

(d) The derivative of area in this case is

A0 = 10x4 + 12x2 + 16

This factors into

A0 = 2(5x2 + 4)(x2 2) = 2(x 2)(x + 2)(5x2 + 4)

so the critical points, where the derivative is 0, are x = 2. Using the first derivative
test

R
@
- +

-
R
@

x= 2 x= 2
we see that the area is maximized at x = 2.(Note that it says the area is minimized when
x = 2 but this really doesnt make sense because we are looking for the dimensionsof
a rectangle and because f (x) is symmetric about the y-axis, so we ignore the x = 2
critical point.)
3. A farmer wants to construct a rectangular pigpen using 1000f t of fencing. What dimensions
should should the pigpen be to maximize area and what is the maximum area?

(a) Diagram:

y Pigpen

(b) Given Information:

P erimeter = 2x + 2y = 1000
(c) Equation to Optimize:
Area = xy
(d) Since
2x + 2y = 1000
we can solve for y and get
y = 500 x.
Then we can rewrite area as

A = x(500 x) = 500x x2 .

Now we find where the maximum value of the area is by taking the derivative and finding
the critical point(s)
A0 = 500 2x = 0
which in this case is at x = 250f t. We make sure this is the maximum value by using
the first derivative test:

+
 -
R
@

x=250
Thus, since y = 500 x, the dimensions that will maximize the area are x = 250f t and
y = 250f t so that the maximum area is 62500sqf t.
4. Now suppose that the farmer wants to build his pigpen along a river (the pigs are fond of
swimming and it gets their smell a little further from the farm house). He still has 1000f t but
he also has the river to build along, so what dimensions will now maximize the area assuming
three sides of the encloser are fence and one is river.

(a) Diagram:
River

y Pigpen

(b) Given Information:

P erimeter = x + 2y = 1000
(c) Equation to Optimize:
Area = xy
(d) Since
x + 2y = 1000
we can solve for y and get
y = 500 21 x.
Then we can rewrite area as

A = x(500 12 x) = 500x 12 x2 .

Now we find where the maximum value of the area is by taking the derivative and finding
the critical point(s)
A0 = 500 x = 0
which in this case is at x = 500f t. We make sure this is the maximum value by using
the first derivative test:

+

-
R
@

x=500
Thus, since y = 500 21 x, the dimensions that will maximize the area are x = 500f t and
y = 250f t so that the maximum area is 125000sqf t.
5. An aluminium manufacturing company is working on designs for soup cans. In one design
they are going to use the same gauge metal for the whole can, it costs $0.002 per square
centimeter of aluminum. If the can must hold 430ml of soup what dimensions will minimize
the cost of the can. (1ml=1cc)
(a) Diagram:

(b) Given Information:

V olume = r2 h = 430ml
Cost/cm2 = $0.002
1ml = 1cc
(c) Equation to Optimize:
Cost of Can = 0.002 Surf ace Area = 0.002(2r2 + 2rh)
430
(d) Since V = r2 h = 430 we can write h = r 2 . So the cost can be given as

430
C = 0.002(2r2 + 2r r 2

which simplifies to
C = 0.004(r2 + 430r1 ).
Taking the derivative we get
C 0 = 0.004(2r 430r2 ).
Setting this equal to 0 and solving for r we get
r3 = 430
2
or
r 4.0904.
We make sure this is the minimum value by using the first derivative test:

-
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r 4.0904
430
So the cost of the can is minimized when r 4.0904 cm and h = r 2 8.1806 cm. (Note
that the height is equal to twice the radius, or the diameter, so from the side the can
looks square.)
6. After a number of class action law suits involving exploding cans of soup the aluminium
company decides to revise its can design. It now wants to use a heavier gauge metal for
the top and the bottom of the can, $0.004 per square centimeter, and the $0.002 per square
centimeter for the sides. Find the new dimensions to minimize the cost of the can with a
volume of 430 ml

(a) Given Information:

V olume = r2 h = 430ml
Cost/cm2 = $0.002 for the sides.
Cost/cm2 = $0.004 for the top and bottom.
1ml = 1cc
(b) Equation to Optimize:

Cost of Can = 0.002Surf ace Area of the Sides+0.004Surf ace Area of the top and bottom

which is equal to
C = 0.002(rh) + 0.004(2r2 )
430
(c) Since V = r2 h = 430 we can write h = r 2 . So the cost can be given as

C = 0.002(430r1 ) + 0.004(r2 ).

The derivative is now

C 0 = 0.860r2 + 0.008r.
0.860
Setting this equal to 0 and solving for r we get r3 = 0.008 so that r 3.247. We make
sure this is the minimum value by using the first derivative test:

-
R
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r 3.247
430
So the cost of the can is minimized when r 3.247 cm and h = r 2 12.982 cm. (Note
that the height is now equal to four times the radius, or twice the diameter.)
7. An oil rig is 10 miles out to sea and the refinery that the oil needs to go to is 20 miles up
the shore line from the oil rig. If it costs $25 million per mile to place a pipeline in the water
and $10 million per mile on land where should the pipeline make landfall in order to minimize
cost.
(a) Diagram:

(b) Given Information:

10 miles to land
20 miles along the shore
$25 million per mile in the sea
$10 million per mile on land
(c) Equation to Optimize:
Cost = 25s + 10(l x)
(d) Given d = 10 and l = 20 we can write the cost as

C = 25 100 + x2 + 200 10x.
Then the derivative will be
C 0 = 25x(100 + x2 )1/2 10
which when if we set equal to 0 and solve for x gives
x2 = 10000
525
or
x 4.364.
We make sure this is the minimum value by using the first derivative test:

R
@
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x 4.364
So the cost is minimized when x 4.364 miles.
8. A restaurant has a seating area that can seat up to 25 tables with 4 people per table. If they
only put in 15 tables then they can charge on average $20 per meal and fill the restaurant.
However, for each additional table they put in they must decrease the price of the average
meal by $1. assuming all the tables are full, what number of tables will maximize their profit.

(a) Given Information:

They charge $20 per meal with 15 tables.
They must subtract $1 per meal for each table over 15.
They can fit at most 25 tables.
Assume all the tables are full, 4 people.
(b) Equation to Optimize:

P rof it = 4 tables $(20 (number of tables over 15))

which we can simplify to

P = 4T (20 (T 15)) = 140T 4T 2 .

(c) To find the optimum number of tables we first take the derivative and find the critical
points
P 0 = 140 8T = 0.
So the critical point is at T = 17.5 which according to the first derivative test

+

-
R
@

T=17.5
does give us a maximum. Thus if the restaurant wants to maximize profit it should have
either 17 or 18 tables (assuming that they dont want to cut a table in half).
More Samples:

1. A rectangle has one side on the x-axis, one side on the y-axis, one vertex at the origin, and
one vertex on the curve
y = e2x
for x 0. Find the maximum possible area. Find the minimum possible perimeter.

2. A rectangle is inscribed under the arch of the curve

y = 4 cos(0.5x)

from x = to x = . What are the dimensions of the rectangle with the largest area, and
what is the largest area?

3. Find the point on the curve y = 0.5 ex which is closest to the point (1, 1).
2 5
4. Given x2 + y 2 = 5 find the minimum and maximum values of P = x2 ey .

5. A frictionless cart, attached to the wall by a spring, is pulled 10cm from rest position and
released at time t = 0 to roll back and forth for 4 sec. Its position at time t is given by

s = 10 cos(t).

What is the carts maximum speed on this time interval.

6. The range R of a projectile fired with an initial velocity of v0 is given by

(v0 sin(2))
R= g
where g is acceleration due to gravity. Find the angle such that the range is maximized.

7. Fifty elk are introduced into a game preserve. It is estimated that their population will
increase according to the model
250
p(t) =
1+4et/3
where t is measured in years. At what rate is the population increasing when t=2? After how
many years is the population increasing most rapidly?

8. A woman pulls a sled which, together with its load, has a mass of m kg. If her arm makes an
angle of with her body (assumed to be vertical) and the coefficient of friction is = 0.15,
then the least force, F , she must exert is given by
mg
F = sin()+ cos()

where g is the constant acceleration of gravity. Find the angle between 0 and /2 which
minimizes F .